The voice you believe will determine the future you experience.

Isaiah 55:1-3 - “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.

I. Face Your Fear

A. We all have fears

Some fears we have are irrational. Some fears we can understand.

B. Fears are not formulative.

What I mean is you can’t break down fears into logical component parts and once you understand it make it go away.

You can’t take a step by step methodical formula to banish all your fear.

Matthew 1:18-21 - This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

II. Joseph's Three Fears

(I think we all can identify with these, and I think they are one of the reasons we don’t get in the game.)

1. What will people think?

It rules a lot of our lives. Our pride gives us fear that we would never have otherwise.

Humiliation; embarrassment. I can’t get passed those things. I avoid situations that could have these implications.

2. What will it cost?

How many things will I have to give up?

When we think about getting in the game, we think about the cost. How much will I have to give? How much time will I have to spend? Who will I have to deal with on a regular basis?

3. What will He ask me to do?

Not so much what will I have to give up, but what do I have to do? What and whom will I be responsible for?

III. There is No Courage without Fear.

A. Courage is one of our most desired character traits.

We want to be a men or women of courage. Everyone wants to be courageous. But there is no courage without fear.

B. We need courage.

You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.-Aristotle

IV. Find Courage in our God.

Psalm 31:24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!

A. Easier said than done. Why? Because he’s the one we are afraid of!

B. Here is a perfect example…

Mark 4:35-41 - As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

First, they were afraid of drowning, now they are terrified of Him. Drowning doesn’t seem that bad anymore.

What happened to the disciples? All but one gave his life for the message of the man they were terrified of.

What changed? What gave them courage? Could it give us courage? Not to just face what he has called us to but face life in general.

C. The secret to courage.

1 John 4:16-18 - We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the Day of Judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love

We get courage from experiencing God’s love.

The disciples were terrified. But after walking with Jesus, getting to know Him and experiencing the Love that Jesus had for them, it gave them the courage to be what he called them to be even when it cost them their lives.

Summary: If you are going to face your fears, you have to learn to walk with God. How much do you talk to Him? How much do you study His word? How much time do you spend acknowledging Him as you Lord and Savior? You might say, "I’m afraid." I can guarantee you won’t be as you begin to experience his love.

John 16:33 - I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world."